Conversations on effective leadership are varied although they focus more or less on the same general points, yet in different contexts. One saying revolves around the notion that the buck stops with the leader. This is true in the case of important decisions that have to be made because that is just the nature of certain positions. Gathering input from a variety of stakeholder groups is vital if the goal is to initiate and sustain transformative change. Abusing authority, not listening, or going at it alone will not lead to embracement of new ideas and strategies to move a learning culture forward.
I remember as a principal in 2010 my pursuit of a tool that I wanted to purchase to improve communications with parents and students. A focus on growth in this area was central to our overall goal of building better relationships. Even though I had been using Twitter for over a year by this time to do just this, the embracement by my staff as a whole just wasn’t where I wanted it to be. This new tool seemed like the perfect solution to help scale efforts to accomplish this goal. The premise was simple. My staff would be able to streamline communications with parents and students alike, and there would be an expectation to use the service each day. I was so excited about the possibilities and couldn’t wait to present it to my staff and get their approval.
Now I am not going to get into the nitty-gritty about the functionality of the tool. That is not the point of this post. What I want to discuss is how my staff reacted. I thought this was a slam dunk going into the meeting. In my mind, the majority was going to celebrate the fact that I was investing in a tool that would significantly support them all. Then reality slapped me right in the face. I would say that at least half of them were entirely against the adoption of this tool. I’m not going to lie. I was a bit uneasy with some of the adverse reactions that were shared. Instead of reacting myself, I listened and took notes focusing on legitimate concerns. A few of the gripes were ridiculous, but many of the comments were valid.
Instead of just listening and then making the decision to move forward because I thought it was best, I wrapped up the meeting by telling my staff that I would reflect on the conversation we had as a group. It was also reiterated that I appreciated their feedback. If you truly listen to anyone you then take the time to reflect on what was said. I went back to my notes from the meeting and compared the concerns my staff raised to the positives that I saw. It was a tough decision. In the end, it came down to making a decision that would best serve everyone, including parents and students.
In the end, I decided that adopting a communications tool for all my staff to use daily was not in the best interests of the school. Upon reflection, I saw validity in many of their points as well as alternatives to still achieve the outlined goal. To successfully lead change across schools, districts, and systems we must not rush to judgment if the situation does not require it. Getting into the habit of listening, reflecting, and then deciding goes a long way towards creating a culture of trust and empowerment. By improving our listening skills, we can become better communicators in our respective positions while simultaneously building better relationships with students, colleagues, and other stakeholders. Taking the time to reflect before, and even after, decisions lead to improved performance. How one indicates is a personal decision, but it is something that must become a part of routine practice across all aspects of leadership.
There is nothing easy about leading change. Sometimes it requires taking a deep breath or gaining the perspective of others to avoid making a rash decision. Always keep in mind that leadership is not about what is best for one person, but instead the collective. When it comes to leadership.....Listen intently, spend time reflecting, then make the best decision.
Below are some more of my thoughts:
I remember as a principal in 2010 my pursuit of a tool that I wanted to purchase to improve communications with parents and students. A focus on growth in this area was central to our overall goal of building better relationships. Even though I had been using Twitter for over a year by this time to do just this, the embracement by my staff as a whole just wasn’t where I wanted it to be. This new tool seemed like the perfect solution to help scale efforts to accomplish this goal. The premise was simple. My staff would be able to streamline communications with parents and students alike, and there would be an expectation to use the service each day. I was so excited about the possibilities and couldn’t wait to present it to my staff and get their approval.
Now I am not going to get into the nitty-gritty about the functionality of the tool. That is not the point of this post. What I want to discuss is how my staff reacted. I thought this was a slam dunk going into the meeting. In my mind, the majority was going to celebrate the fact that I was investing in a tool that would significantly support them all. Then reality slapped me right in the face. I would say that at least half of them were entirely against the adoption of this tool. I’m not going to lie. I was a bit uneasy with some of the adverse reactions that were shared. Instead of reacting myself, I listened and took notes focusing on legitimate concerns. A few of the gripes were ridiculous, but many of the comments were valid.
Instead of just listening and then making the decision to move forward because I thought it was best, I wrapped up the meeting by telling my staff that I would reflect on the conversation we had as a group. It was also reiterated that I appreciated their feedback. If you truly listen to anyone you then take the time to reflect on what was said. I went back to my notes from the meeting and compared the concerns my staff raised to the positives that I saw. It was a tough decision. In the end, it came down to making a decision that would best serve everyone, including parents and students.
There is nothing easy about leading change. Sometimes it requires taking a deep breath or gaining the perspective of others to avoid making a rash decision. Always keep in mind that leadership is not about what is best for one person, but instead the collective. When it comes to leadership.....Listen intently, spend time reflecting, then make the best decision.
Below are some more of my thoughts:
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